This trend mentioned by Jane Jacobs in The Use of Sidewalks - Safety is that the more people use the streets and the more people that care about what is going on in the streets the safer they would be. However this trend shows that eventually no street will ever be a safe place as people care less and less about what is going on outside their window and more and more about what is going on inside. As Jacobs mentions "the sight of people attracts other people" and as people move out in favor of "safer places" less people will want to watch the outside and see what is going on which will make the streets a lonelier, more desolate, more dangerous place. This in turn will make more people want to leave causing it to become even more dangerous of a place to walk. It also seems that as areas are expanding there are smaller buildings and businesses being replaced by larger living facilities. The people that move into these buildings often replace the people that care about the streets and what is going on out there. This also makes the streets are more dangerous place and the rate that this is occurring is causing a rapid destabilization of the safety of these streets. As this occurs there will be less and less streets that can be safely walked on at night and the whole city will be engulfed in crime.
There seems to be many reasons why the streets become unsafe but once it starts it is like a domino effect and all hope is lost.
For the story of Woodruff Park and the Search for Common Ground, by Murphy Davis the reader is shown an example of how all the people in an area and are related and how an adjustment made to a public area to affect one group of people will ultimately affect everybody else. In this story Murphy talks about the changes to Woodruff Park to make it less hospitable to the homeless and downtrodden make it less hospitable to the general public. The city council has turned a beautiful park into an impersonal stretch of concrete, but on the bright side they could have made it into a parking lot. Oh wait, they already did that when they tore down living the Avon and Capital hotels. Atlanta, Georgia seems to have this obsession with keeping bums out of the parks, but at the same time they consider kicking people out of their homes by tearing down living residences such as hotels and low income housing an improvement to the city. Something there just doesn't add up but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Sidewalks and Parks
In The Uses of Sidewalks - Safety, Jacobs introduces some very valid points about the relatedness of population and crime. I use the term population here in a very local, relative sense, meaning, those persons who frequent the "sidewalks" of discussion. Jacobs' points do stand to reason. When was the last time you heard of anyone being shot in Times Square? A mugging at Epcot? A stabbing in Philadelphia International? No one is going to commit these types of social crimes where there are so many people to not only witness, but prevent such an attack. I believe that what Jacobs is really saying here is that it doesn't matter what location is studied or at what time of day, the (maybe not sole, but certainly most prevailant) factor is simply a function of how many people are present. When a community is told to stay inside after hours, and similar things, then they will. They will also tend to shun the outdoors altogether in favor of their homes or the homes of family and friends in other areas. This reduces the number of, as Jacobs says, eyes on the streets, and therefore makes anyone who does wander around for whatever reason, more vunerable because of a lack of that social protection. "Power in numbers" is a great way to explain the phenomenon, suffice it to say that the power is generated not by an actively assailant group of farmers with pitchforks, but simply the knowledge that one is being watched.
As for the essay Wooddruff Park and the Search For Common Ground, I believe this is a specific example of a broader concept. Being a future teacher, I have my own educational philosophy. Something to the effect of "Whenever an action is taken without the specific goal of benefiting the students, it will harm them in the long run." After having read this article, I believe that the arguments presented there, along with my philosophy about education, are both simply examples of a more generic concept, that applies to any situation consisting of an administrative power and a population of "lay people" in which, any action taken or decision made without the explicit intention of benefitting said population as a whole, will, eventually, impair and deprive the population as well as weaken and defame the administration. It seems that this idea is the vehicle with which Davis makes his argument for the case of Atlanta.
As for the essay Wooddruff Park and the Search For Common Ground, I believe this is a specific example of a broader concept. Being a future teacher, I have my own educational philosophy. Something to the effect of "Whenever an action is taken without the specific goal of benefiting the students, it will harm them in the long run." After having read this article, I believe that the arguments presented there, along with my philosophy about education, are both simply examples of a more generic concept, that applies to any situation consisting of an administrative power and a population of "lay people" in which, any action taken or decision made without the explicit intention of benefitting said population as a whole, will, eventually, impair and deprive the population as well as weaken and defame the administration. It seems that this idea is the vehicle with which Davis makes his argument for the case of Atlanta.
The space between the grass and the street
"A city sidewalk by itself is nothing. It is an abstraction. It means something only in conjunction with the buildings and other uses that border it."
- The Uses of Sidewalks- Safety: Jane Jacobs
That is one of the most profound things that I’ve heard in a long time. Not so much because it has deep intellectual meaning but because it is such a simple though completely overlooked truth. She goes on to say that how people view a particular street really has nothing to do with the street itself but rather with the emotional connection that they have with it. A street can be beautifully manicured with impressive architecture and still promote such a feeling of insecurity that it will remain empty and unused.
The connection between use and safety that she made was an interesting one. After reading this piece, I started thinking about streets where I felt safest and where I didn’t. Even when surrounded by strangers, the feeling of safety is much higher than when walking around campus at night alone. This campus has very few areas that many people would view as "dangerous" in that there aren’t many places with tall bushes or any dark alleyways; it is typically well-lit and open. However, even just walking home the other night by myself after a lecture, I was distinctly nervous. Part of this is undoubtedly due to the stereotypical view that a female walking alone at night is at risk, but this feeling was substantially due to the fact that I live on the academic side of campus, so even though there were buildings around, there was no one in them. In The Uses of Sidewalks there is a passage that reads, "There must be eyes upon the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street." That was the missing piece that factored so strongly into my feeling of apprehension.
I will only make a brief comment on the second piece. The main theme that I got from this reading was summed up well in this passage from Woodruff Park and the Search For Common Ground, "This pattern of destruction has been repeated, and there is little beauty, culture, or humanity left. What we have instead is precisely what the powers say they want: a ‘sanitized son,’ ‘vagrant free,’ and deserted enough to appear safe, devoid of the color of a rich urban culture whose life has never been antiseptic, colorless, cold, and heartless." It is critical, in order to make places safe for everyone, to create an environment that fosters that feeling of community and belonging, that feeling that makes people want to be out in their environment. Only then will the streets, sidewalks, and other spaces that define our lives be truly safe.
- The Uses of Sidewalks- Safety: Jane Jacobs
That is one of the most profound things that I’ve heard in a long time. Not so much because it has deep intellectual meaning but because it is such a simple though completely overlooked truth. She goes on to say that how people view a particular street really has nothing to do with the street itself but rather with the emotional connection that they have with it. A street can be beautifully manicured with impressive architecture and still promote such a feeling of insecurity that it will remain empty and unused.
The connection between use and safety that she made was an interesting one. After reading this piece, I started thinking about streets where I felt safest and where I didn’t. Even when surrounded by strangers, the feeling of safety is much higher than when walking around campus at night alone. This campus has very few areas that many people would view as "dangerous" in that there aren’t many places with tall bushes or any dark alleyways; it is typically well-lit and open. However, even just walking home the other night by myself after a lecture, I was distinctly nervous. Part of this is undoubtedly due to the stereotypical view that a female walking alone at night is at risk, but this feeling was substantially due to the fact that I live on the academic side of campus, so even though there were buildings around, there was no one in them. In The Uses of Sidewalks there is a passage that reads, "There must be eyes upon the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street." That was the missing piece that factored so strongly into my feeling of apprehension.
I will only make a brief comment on the second piece. The main theme that I got from this reading was summed up well in this passage from Woodruff Park and the Search For Common Ground, "This pattern of destruction has been repeated, and there is little beauty, culture, or humanity left. What we have instead is precisely what the powers say they want: a ‘sanitized son,’ ‘vagrant free,’ and deserted enough to appear safe, devoid of the color of a rich urban culture whose life has never been antiseptic, colorless, cold, and heartless." It is critical, in order to make places safe for everyone, to create an environment that fosters that feeling of community and belonging, that feeling that makes people want to be out in their environment. Only then will the streets, sidewalks, and other spaces that define our lives be truly safe.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
My Cup of Tea
I found The Uses of Sidewalks –Safety to be an intriguing reading. The pieces style, topic, concepts, and ideas were all things that caught my attention. Not only did this reading catch my attention, but it held it throughout.
Jane Jacobs’s style of writing is one that appealed to me. She does not write in a way that is too technical, going above and beyond what the reader needs or wants to know. She writes in a style that speaks directly to the reader. Her writing is personable.
“A well-used city street is apt to be a safe street,” says Jacobs in the middle of the piece. I have to admit I don’t think I would have ever come to this conclusion on my own, but after considering this idea I found that I completely agree with it. It makes sense that the streets and sidewalks that are not used by as many people are unsafe because since there are not many people on them there is no one to watch out for one another.
There was another piece of this writing that caught my attention. I know that what I am going to say about it is a bit of topic with all the other things that I am saying, but personally I just found it amusing. At one point Jacobs says, “To be sure, there are people with hobgoblins in their heads, and such people will never feel safe no matter what the objective circumstances are.” Immediately when I read this my mom popped into my head. I love her to death, but she always…always thinks that something bad is going to happen in every situation. No matter how simple or safe a situation my mom will be the first to think of something that could go wrong. “Be careful!” is her favorite thing to say.
I also found Davis’s writing to be one of interest to me. It was written in a way that appealed to me, just as in Jacobs’s piece. This piece addressed an important issue in our society, the way we try to temporarily sweep the “garbage” under the rug (as Davis puts it). It is a horrible reality of our society, one that we should be ashamed of. Maybe if we would all take a stand on it like Davis attempted to in this article something would finally be done about it.
Jane Jacobs’s style of writing is one that appealed to me. She does not write in a way that is too technical, going above and beyond what the reader needs or wants to know. She writes in a style that speaks directly to the reader. Her writing is personable.
“A well-used city street is apt to be a safe street,” says Jacobs in the middle of the piece. I have to admit I don’t think I would have ever come to this conclusion on my own, but after considering this idea I found that I completely agree with it. It makes sense that the streets and sidewalks that are not used by as many people are unsafe because since there are not many people on them there is no one to watch out for one another.
There was another piece of this writing that caught my attention. I know that what I am going to say about it is a bit of topic with all the other things that I am saying, but personally I just found it amusing. At one point Jacobs says, “To be sure, there are people with hobgoblins in their heads, and such people will never feel safe no matter what the objective circumstances are.” Immediately when I read this my mom popped into my head. I love her to death, but she always…always thinks that something bad is going to happen in every situation. No matter how simple or safe a situation my mom will be the first to think of something that could go wrong. “Be careful!” is her favorite thing to say.
I also found Davis’s writing to be one of interest to me. It was written in a way that appealed to me, just as in Jacobs’s piece. This piece addressed an important issue in our society, the way we try to temporarily sweep the “garbage” under the rug (as Davis puts it). It is a horrible reality of our society, one that we should be ashamed of. Maybe if we would all take a stand on it like Davis attempted to in this article something would finally be done about it.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Sidewalks and Unwelcoming parks......
Jacobs wrote about how safe sidewalks and safe cities are synonymous. She explains that without safe sidewalks the city itself can not be safe. This makes alot of sense because cities both big and small and even suburbia have sidewalks. If you can feel safe walking on the streets than the general atmosphere of that part of town is safe. I agree with that.
What's interesting is that streets that are familiarized by ethnic people, or just people of the same culture have a safer feeling than those of upper class penthouse apartments. Jacobs used the example of her own street where when it appeared that an older man was trying to lure away a little girl, atleast someone from every building came out to make sure nothing wrong was going on. The only building where no one looked out was the newly renovated, more expensive apartment building....This might tell you something about the mentality of upperclass people.
The lower income ethnic cultures appear to look out for each other, while the upper class appear to not pay that much attention to their neighbors because they do not want the hastle of being attached to someone and therefore having some kind of responsibility. I thought that was pretty interesting....
On public space, i agree with andy in that the essay sounded alot like a campaign speech. It seems as if the writer had written a petition against the park in Atlanta. She declares that the only thing you can do with it is look at it and that remodeling that park pushed all of the homeless people away. Davis's sympathy to the homeless people is very humane. Although homeless people shoudn't be allowed to stay in parks around little children and so forth......not saying that all homeless people are no good but of course they are people so there will be some rotten apples in the bushel. Really the mayor should have spent the money on a soup kitchen or some other housing plan.. I believe that this story is a part of what is happening all over the US. Cities and small towns are giving into the american look. They are conforming all their stores and restaurants. They are making the whole mess clean and sanitary when cities are naturally dirty but alive and fun and personal..Pretty soon there will be a sign above beautiful restaurant saying "You make look but don't eat". Just like the park that won't let people in, so cities will eventually not want people in, only the appearance of people living in neat identical houses that have manicured lawns.
What's interesting is that streets that are familiarized by ethnic people, or just people of the same culture have a safer feeling than those of upper class penthouse apartments. Jacobs used the example of her own street where when it appeared that an older man was trying to lure away a little girl, atleast someone from every building came out to make sure nothing wrong was going on. The only building where no one looked out was the newly renovated, more expensive apartment building....This might tell you something about the mentality of upperclass people.
The lower income ethnic cultures appear to look out for each other, while the upper class appear to not pay that much attention to their neighbors because they do not want the hastle of being attached to someone and therefore having some kind of responsibility. I thought that was pretty interesting....
On public space, i agree with andy in that the essay sounded alot like a campaign speech. It seems as if the writer had written a petition against the park in Atlanta. She declares that the only thing you can do with it is look at it and that remodeling that park pushed all of the homeless people away. Davis's sympathy to the homeless people is very humane. Although homeless people shoudn't be allowed to stay in parks around little children and so forth......not saying that all homeless people are no good but of course they are people so there will be some rotten apples in the bushel. Really the mayor should have spent the money on a soup kitchen or some other housing plan.. I believe that this story is a part of what is happening all over the US. Cities and small towns are giving into the american look. They are conforming all their stores and restaurants. They are making the whole mess clean and sanitary when cities are naturally dirty but alive and fun and personal..Pretty soon there will be a sign above beautiful restaurant saying "You make look but don't eat". Just like the park that won't let people in, so cities will eventually not want people in, only the appearance of people living in neat identical houses that have manicured lawns.
Woodward Park and The Use of Sidewalks
I read both of these stories and it seems to me that they are closer to campaign speeches or a town council meeting than essays. In Woodward Park, Murphy Davis talks constantly about how the city of Atlanta is trying to make itself look better at the expense of people in the city that should be helped. This essay is the most like a campaign speech because Davis criticizes the current mayor about his overhaul of the Park to keep homeless people out and make the city feel "safe." Her passage on the city's renovations to make way for the Olympic games in 1996 remind me of another city that did some "changes" when they had their Olympics. And that city would be....Berlin, Germany in 1936. Atlanta tore down numerous buildings and displaced a great number of underprivledged citizens so that the Olympic Centennial Park (which looks really nice according to some of the pictures that I have seen of it) could be built. In Nazi Germany (1936), the government decided to remove any signs of Nazi activity such as the Gestapo and anti-semetic signs in the city so that their Olympics would take place without interruption and avoid controversy. Of course that was not avoided when Jesse Owens won a large number of medals for the USA and Hitler refused to put on Owens' medal.
ANYWAY, where was I? Oh, yeah. This story reminded me of that because Davis's thoughts on the city's work. "The park and surroundings are being redeveloped, not because Atlanta wants to cultivate public space, but because the world is coming to town, and Atlanta wants a clean facade; the "garbage" will be swept under a rug temporarily. (308)" Towards the end, Davis intensifies her dislike of the mayor's work when she emphasizes her ideas of reviving the parks and making it so that people feel welcome in Atlanta. This ending emphasis showed the tone of this essay. I believe that even if she was not writing this for political purposes, although I think she was writing this for the Open Door Community (if you read the small exerpt before the story), I think she wanted the people of Atlanta to realize what is happening to the city and the "improvements" that are taking place are actually hurting the city. On a side note, this city sounds a lot better than Los Angeles in Jacobs's essay.
In The Use of Sidewalks, Jacobs introduces the fact that sidewalks and streets are the main part of a city which makes sense if you think about it. Without sidewalks, people would have to walk in the streets and without streets, theres no where to walk, drive, or move. Well what about waterways like rivers? That's not the point because we are talking about dry land here. I did not mind this part of the essay because it was informative but it was not overly aggressive. Once Jane Jacobs begins to list statistics, then I thought that she was being more textbook than persuasive or informally informative (if that makes sense). Overall, she hates Los Angeles. That is clear to see. If you were in Los Angeles and knew about all the problems they had in you didn't have to live there, wouldn't you hate it too? Now personally, what scared me a little bit is the fact that Philadelphia made one of the lists for high crime. Forcible rape is the 2nd or 3rd highest in Philly. Now I would recommend that any girl going to Philadelphia anytime soon should first buy at least one of these items: pepper spray, a flail, or a taser. Flails are much cooler than the other two. But overall in L.A, you need your own set of bodyguards to feel safe according to Jacobs. They are the highest in forcible rape, major crimes overall, aggravated assault, and probably some other wonderful categories. Jacobs says that LA is this bad is because their streets are bad. No one can say that the streets of LA are not bad because there is even a video game out there called Streets Of LA, where you go around either shooting people, get shot at, or steal stuff (Much like Grand Theft Auto to be honest).
To prevent this kind of thing from happening in other places, Jacobs suggests a neighborhood watch in towns. She gives a lot of recommendations and all make valid points. I know that my town has a neighborhood watch and I know that because there are signs everywhere on my street for it. My town is a lot safer than Los Angeles, but since we have Bloomsburg University, it may not be necessarily that safe. Not to hurt BU's image, but there are a lot of frat parties off campus will lots of alcohol. I live about two blocks from a bar and I continually see college students returning from it walking down the middles of streets still half-drunk. But overall, we are a safe town. In Jacobs's town, she has a neighborhood watch and explains a situation that I wish that she had not mentioned. There was a struggle between a man and a little girl and people were coming out of their houses or businesses to intervene when necessary. The problem with this is that the girl was the man's daughter. Now if that family lived in that town, you would think that SOMEONE would have realized that, "Hey, I've seen those two together before. Maybe their related." But no, instead the entire neighborhood made a big scene out of it and probably drove those two away from that town forever, if they lived there or not. Personally, if I went outside everytime I heard or saw something questionable, I would pitch a tent in my backyard. I don't have the best neighbors and they prove that on a regular basis. I do not want to go off on a tangent again, so I will stick with what Jacobs is trying to say. Cities are not safe because their streets are not safe. That makes sense and making sense feels good.
Now let's see how many times it takes for the word verification to finally work?? Any bets?
ANYWAY, where was I? Oh, yeah. This story reminded me of that because Davis's thoughts on the city's work. "The park and surroundings are being redeveloped, not because Atlanta wants to cultivate public space, but because the world is coming to town, and Atlanta wants a clean facade; the "garbage" will be swept under a rug temporarily. (308)" Towards the end, Davis intensifies her dislike of the mayor's work when she emphasizes her ideas of reviving the parks and making it so that people feel welcome in Atlanta. This ending emphasis showed the tone of this essay. I believe that even if she was not writing this for political purposes, although I think she was writing this for the Open Door Community (if you read the small exerpt before the story), I think she wanted the people of Atlanta to realize what is happening to the city and the "improvements" that are taking place are actually hurting the city. On a side note, this city sounds a lot better than Los Angeles in Jacobs's essay.
In The Use of Sidewalks, Jacobs introduces the fact that sidewalks and streets are the main part of a city which makes sense if you think about it. Without sidewalks, people would have to walk in the streets and without streets, theres no where to walk, drive, or move. Well what about waterways like rivers? That's not the point because we are talking about dry land here. I did not mind this part of the essay because it was informative but it was not overly aggressive. Once Jane Jacobs begins to list statistics, then I thought that she was being more textbook than persuasive or informally informative (if that makes sense). Overall, she hates Los Angeles. That is clear to see. If you were in Los Angeles and knew about all the problems they had in you didn't have to live there, wouldn't you hate it too? Now personally, what scared me a little bit is the fact that Philadelphia made one of the lists for high crime. Forcible rape is the 2nd or 3rd highest in Philly. Now I would recommend that any girl going to Philadelphia anytime soon should first buy at least one of these items: pepper spray, a flail, or a taser. Flails are much cooler than the other two. But overall in L.A, you need your own set of bodyguards to feel safe according to Jacobs. They are the highest in forcible rape, major crimes overall, aggravated assault, and probably some other wonderful categories. Jacobs says that LA is this bad is because their streets are bad. No one can say that the streets of LA are not bad because there is even a video game out there called Streets Of LA, where you go around either shooting people, get shot at, or steal stuff (Much like Grand Theft Auto to be honest).
To prevent this kind of thing from happening in other places, Jacobs suggests a neighborhood watch in towns. She gives a lot of recommendations and all make valid points. I know that my town has a neighborhood watch and I know that because there are signs everywhere on my street for it. My town is a lot safer than Los Angeles, but since we have Bloomsburg University, it may not be necessarily that safe. Not to hurt BU's image, but there are a lot of frat parties off campus will lots of alcohol. I live about two blocks from a bar and I continually see college students returning from it walking down the middles of streets still half-drunk. But overall, we are a safe town. In Jacobs's town, she has a neighborhood watch and explains a situation that I wish that she had not mentioned. There was a struggle between a man and a little girl and people were coming out of their houses or businesses to intervene when necessary. The problem with this is that the girl was the man's daughter. Now if that family lived in that town, you would think that SOMEONE would have realized that, "Hey, I've seen those two together before. Maybe their related." But no, instead the entire neighborhood made a big scene out of it and probably drove those two away from that town forever, if they lived there or not. Personally, if I went outside everytime I heard or saw something questionable, I would pitch a tent in my backyard. I don't have the best neighbors and they prove that on a regular basis. I do not want to go off on a tangent again, so I will stick with what Jacobs is trying to say. Cities are not safe because their streets are not safe. That makes sense and making sense feels good.
Now let's see how many times it takes for the word verification to finally work?? Any bets?
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Intro and Culture is ordinary COMBO!
Hi! i know this is late but i'm doing a intro/ comment on the reading because in a sense many things about me probably have something to do with the culture that i grew up in.
My name is Ashley Barchik. I live on a farm in Fairmount Springs which is in NEPA near Benton. I like to think of myself as a creative person. I enjoy writing and art,etc... I went to Northwest Area and graduated in a class of 80 people. I knew almost everyone in my school and atleast knew everyone's families. On friday nights my friends and i would go to football games and to a local pizza place afterwards or have awesome woods parties during the summer and or warmer months(warmer months because tents and sleeping outside was often involved) .
I love the country and was born and bred a farmer's daughter. I have a connection with William's because of growing up on a farm community. I can see arms of industry pushing back the farming communities. My grandfather came from Poland and started farming...most of my family have at some point farmed. Speaking of families I have quite a big one totaling 12 aunts and uncles and 28 first cousins, not to mention all the second and third cousins and so forth....
I can see what Williams was saying in how culture is ordinary because culture is everywhere. Wherever there is a group of people, there is culture. I'm not sure that there can be culture with only one person...however I could be wrong. Since culture is everywhere it is an everyday ordinary thing, however in certain characteristics of cultures other than your own, the culture may become extraordinary. This is only because you aren't used to that certain culture. Therefore i believe that culture is only ordinary when it is your own or when a different culture is similar to your own. Cultures can become extraordinary only when viewed by an outside standpoint.
Your own culture even though ordinary may still be changed. To quote Williams, " A culture has two aspects: the known meaings and directions, which its members are trained to; the new observations and meanings, which are offered and tested." Your own culture therefore gives you the freedom to grow while at the same time giving you restrictions based on old traditions.
I know that where i grew up i ran barefoot through the fields, in high school threw dead animals in people's yards for kicks, used words like hannah( don't you think?), yous guys(you guys), dyou(do you), and would spend my evenings watching the setting sun over my pond. My culture to me is ordinary because i am familiar with it and grew up with it all my life. But my culture to some of you might be totally removed from your ordinary culture.
All in all i started out thinking that culture is ordinary but i can really only place that word "ordinary" on my own culture and those like it. To any different culture i think of that culture as something more...
My name is Ashley Barchik. I live on a farm in Fairmount Springs which is in NEPA near Benton. I like to think of myself as a creative person. I enjoy writing and art,etc... I went to Northwest Area and graduated in a class of 80 people. I knew almost everyone in my school and atleast knew everyone's families. On friday nights my friends and i would go to football games and to a local pizza place afterwards or have awesome woods parties during the summer and or warmer months(warmer months because tents and sleeping outside was often involved) .
I love the country and was born and bred a farmer's daughter. I have a connection with William's because of growing up on a farm community. I can see arms of industry pushing back the farming communities. My grandfather came from Poland and started farming...most of my family have at some point farmed. Speaking of families I have quite a big one totaling 12 aunts and uncles and 28 first cousins, not to mention all the second and third cousins and so forth....
I can see what Williams was saying in how culture is ordinary because culture is everywhere. Wherever there is a group of people, there is culture. I'm not sure that there can be culture with only one person...however I could be wrong. Since culture is everywhere it is an everyday ordinary thing, however in certain characteristics of cultures other than your own, the culture may become extraordinary. This is only because you aren't used to that certain culture. Therefore i believe that culture is only ordinary when it is your own or when a different culture is similar to your own. Cultures can become extraordinary only when viewed by an outside standpoint.
Your own culture even though ordinary may still be changed. To quote Williams, " A culture has two aspects: the known meaings and directions, which its members are trained to; the new observations and meanings, which are offered and tested." Your own culture therefore gives you the freedom to grow while at the same time giving you restrictions based on old traditions.
I know that where i grew up i ran barefoot through the fields, in high school threw dead animals in people's yards for kicks, used words like hannah( don't you think?), yous guys(you guys), dyou(do you), and would spend my evenings watching the setting sun over my pond. My culture to me is ordinary because i am familiar with it and grew up with it all my life. But my culture to some of you might be totally removed from your ordinary culture.
All in all i started out thinking that culture is ordinary but i can really only place that word "ordinary" on my own culture and those like it. To any different culture i think of that culture as something more...
Culture is Ordinary Response
I agree in what he says about the culture. I believe that the culture a person grows up in is very ordinary to them. This is because it is the only culture they know well and what they see happening is the "norm" in their eyes. Williams chooses to use examples in his own life to support his ideas and what he saw on that train ride was something he was familiar with. I believe he uses the word ordinary as opposed to unfamiliar or even extraordinary. Something that is ordinary to you would feel odd but it wouldn't feel extra special etiher because your culture is what you see and live with in your everyday life. That doesn't mean your culture is not extraordinary to someone else, does it?
Culture is "ordinary??"
It seems weird to me how the author continues to claim that culture is ordinary. How can culture be ordinary if it is different in every aspect of its meaning? There are few cultures that are the same and no one would consider them anything but unique. I personally do not consider Pennsylvania culture ordinary but I am used to the lifestyle associated with the area.
I do understand how Williams is stating that culture is ordinary because it is all around us. It makes sense in how he is applying that phrase because culture is something that you cannot avoid and is always present. I just believe that for the culture to be completely ordinary that nothing unusual would happen. (I almost used the phrase "out of the ordinary" but that would have been redundant.)
As far as the Gulliver's Travels reference, I believe it was fitting because it showed how Raymond Williams was felt as if he was considered insignificant compared to the clergymen when they went into the library. This could show his belief of an ordinary culture because he is used to all of the pitfalls that he has so often experienced in his life. For culture being creative and that being a "way of life", that is very true. I think that because the culture of any place changes continuously that people have to abide by that and make it a part of their lives. It is ordinary in that sense because people are accustomed to change but also creates a individual sense of belonging.
Williams' writing style is impactful but he almost goes with trying to ask for sympathy for everything that has happened to him or his family. If he had used less sentiment and kept with applying his ideas on the entire community or population that he could have made his message more universal and less personalized.
I do understand how Williams is stating that culture is ordinary because it is all around us. It makes sense in how he is applying that phrase because culture is something that you cannot avoid and is always present. I just believe that for the culture to be completely ordinary that nothing unusual would happen. (I almost used the phrase "out of the ordinary" but that would have been redundant.)
As far as the Gulliver's Travels reference, I believe it was fitting because it showed how Raymond Williams was felt as if he was considered insignificant compared to the clergymen when they went into the library. This could show his belief of an ordinary culture because he is used to all of the pitfalls that he has so often experienced in his life. For culture being creative and that being a "way of life", that is very true. I think that because the culture of any place changes continuously that people have to abide by that and make it a part of their lives. It is ordinary in that sense because people are accustomed to change but also creates a individual sense of belonging.
Williams' writing style is impactful but he almost goes with trying to ask for sympathy for everything that has happened to him or his family. If he had used less sentiment and kept with applying his ideas on the entire community or population that he could have made his message more universal and less personalized.
Intro for ME
Hey I know that this is kinda late but my Internet has been acting up. Anyway, I am Andy Breisch. I am from the town of Bloomsburg, which is about 45 minutes from Williamsport or any other city or town of interest almost. I am a freshman majoring in computer science for software development. I am not in any clubs right now but that should change because I am going to want to do something on campus and watching television in my spare time does not sound all that exciting.
I used to be in the marching band and tennis teams when I was in high school. I was in my high school's drumline where I was a snare drummer for five years (I started in eighth grade because I was "special" haha) Over the last two summers I played in both USTA tournaments and Team Tennis leagues. I really like the movie Ocean's Eleven (the new one, not the Rat Pack version although I never saw that one) and am a big Carolina Panthers fan.
I used to be in the marching band and tennis teams when I was in high school. I was in my high school's drumline where I was a snare drummer for five years (I started in eighth grade because I was "special" haha) Over the last two summers I played in both USTA tournaments and Team Tennis leagues. I really like the movie Ocean's Eleven (the new one, not the Rat Pack version although I never saw that one) and am a big Carolina Panthers fan.
Culture is Ordinary
Let me start by saying I am not one to understand a story just after reading it. That is why it took me soo long to post about this short story. I need to reread a piece to understand it even in the slightest bit. So below is my interpretation of the story and forgive me if it doesn't relate to yours.
Williams starts out by describing his hometown. He used unique words and colors to illustrate a vivid picture in my mind. I can see myself in his surroundings. After describing his hometown, he continues by introducing some of his family members. He tells of his hardworking grandfather and then of his father. Then he states, "Culture is Ordinary." He claims that the way in which he was brought up was to see the shaping of minds.
I agree with Williams. Although every society has its own shape, beliefs and traditions, they all have a common ground. Even though every person is different in their own particular ways, we can all find some similiarities if we sit down and try.
So although it may be short. This is what I got out of it. Hopefully during class today I can open my mind upp a bit more......tootles
Williams starts out by describing his hometown. He used unique words and colors to illustrate a vivid picture in my mind. I can see myself in his surroundings. After describing his hometown, he continues by introducing some of his family members. He tells of his hardworking grandfather and then of his father. Then he states, "Culture is Ordinary." He claims that the way in which he was brought up was to see the shaping of minds.
I agree with Williams. Although every society has its own shape, beliefs and traditions, they all have a common ground. Even though every person is different in their own particular ways, we can all find some similiarities if we sit down and try.
So although it may be short. This is what I got out of it. Hopefully during class today I can open my mind upp a bit more......tootles
Culture is Ordinary - Response
I would tend to agree with Williams' depiction of culture as an equivocation. Indeed Williams explores his two interpretations on the subject. The first defining culture as a general term for the characteristics of a certain area or group. His alternative definition leaves culture to be described as exploration and self-realization through education and the arts. Every word written in his article in some way contributes to these two supported views on the subject. However I feel that it is between the lines that Williams offers his true statement. "Every human society has its own shape, it's own purposes, its own meanings." And yet, in an essay supposedly devoted to defining a topic, he provokes even more ambiguity by never offering concrete examples of such shapes, purposes, or meanings. Perhaps, it's doo difficult a task.
It is my opinion that what Williams is really suggesting here is that, to him, culture has the two meanings he took such great care to define. But, in his definitions, I believe lie the rumblings for an argument that maintains the thoery of relativity. Meaning, in his culture, "culture" has the two meanings presented, but in a "different" culture, the word could have a dramatically "uncommon" interpretation. Either way, it's difficult to generalize and specify terms when dealing with concepts that suggest that they, in themselves, could be evaluated in more than one way. I'll close with a quote from one of my favorite shirts, that I think plays into the same hand: "You're unique, just like everyone else."
ps: I hate blogger.com's "Word Verification" image recognition scripts.
It is my opinion that what Williams is really suggesting here is that, to him, culture has the two meanings he took such great care to define. But, in his definitions, I believe lie the rumblings for an argument that maintains the thoery of relativity. Meaning, in his culture, "culture" has the two meanings presented, but in a "different" culture, the word could have a dramatically "uncommon" interpretation. Either way, it's difficult to generalize and specify terms when dealing with concepts that suggest that they, in themselves, could be evaluated in more than one way. I'll close with a quote from one of my favorite shirts, that I think plays into the same hand: "You're unique, just like everyone else."
ps: I hate blogger.com's "Word Verification" image recognition scripts.
fashionably late?
Hey everyone! I am currently lacking a laptop and it's been a struggle to get access to a computer this weekend, so please forgive the lateness of my introduction (although I'm glad to see I'm not the only one)! My name is Cara, I'm from a small-ish town called Camp Hill located across the river from Harrisburg. I graduated this year from Cumberland Valley High School, which I hated, and I actually took all but one of my classes in senior year at Harrisburg Area Community College. It was a good deal, I only had to go to high school for 45 minutes a day and now, as a freshmen, I already have quite a few credits that transferred.
I'm a very optimistic person; I almost always have a smile on my face and I love getting to know new people and experiencing new things. I dabble in a wide range of hobbies-- singing, photography, art, writing-- but I don't really take any of them as seriously as I wish I would. Out of all of them, though, writing is the one I always find myself coming back to. From the short stories I wrote obsessively as a kid to the journal I've been keeping religiously for as long as I can remember, writing has been a lifelong passion for me. I'm excited for this class and the opportunity to practice more and hopefully improve my abilities.
I'm majoring in Psychology, which has been another lifelong fascination for me. I have a very analytical mind and I love to ponder what is really going on in people's minds and what causes them to behave the way they do. I'm currently taking a Sociology class, and the lecture this morning happened to fit perfectly with the points Raymond Williams made in Culture Is Ordinary. Judging from the other responses I read over on the blog, I think many people misinterpreted his point based on his use of the word ordinary. Of course culture is an amazing, incredibly complicated thing, but at the same time, nothing could be more ordinary; it encompasses every aspect of our day-to-day lives and all that is most familiar to us. In Sociology today, my professor said one thing that I found very interesting in particular: on Earth, only humans have come to rely on culture rather than instincts to ensure their survival. Since we are such social creatures and our place in the cultural hierarchy is of such importance to us, culture has become so ingrained in our minds that it has actually taken the place of instinct. Of course, that is just the universal aspect of culture, the parts of it that apply to every individual member-- the awareness we all share of the proper ways to greet a new person, when to eat with silverware and when to use our hands, etc. But beyond that, there is definitely a more individualized version of culture that is shared by smaller groups: families, groups of friends, employees of the same company, all of these share a culture that is a microcosm of society at large, but which applies only to them based on their shared experiences and environments.
Alright, enough rambling! See you guys in...about an hour. :)
I'm a very optimistic person; I almost always have a smile on my face and I love getting to know new people and experiencing new things. I dabble in a wide range of hobbies-- singing, photography, art, writing-- but I don't really take any of them as seriously as I wish I would. Out of all of them, though, writing is the one I always find myself coming back to. From the short stories I wrote obsessively as a kid to the journal I've been keeping religiously for as long as I can remember, writing has been a lifelong passion for me. I'm excited for this class and the opportunity to practice more and hopefully improve my abilities.
I'm majoring in Psychology, which has been another lifelong fascination for me. I have a very analytical mind and I love to ponder what is really going on in people's minds and what causes them to behave the way they do. I'm currently taking a Sociology class, and the lecture this morning happened to fit perfectly with the points Raymond Williams made in Culture Is Ordinary. Judging from the other responses I read over on the blog, I think many people misinterpreted his point based on his use of the word ordinary. Of course culture is an amazing, incredibly complicated thing, but at the same time, nothing could be more ordinary; it encompasses every aspect of our day-to-day lives and all that is most familiar to us. In Sociology today, my professor said one thing that I found very interesting in particular: on Earth, only humans have come to rely on culture rather than instincts to ensure their survival. Since we are such social creatures and our place in the cultural hierarchy is of such importance to us, culture has become so ingrained in our minds that it has actually taken the place of instinct. Of course, that is just the universal aspect of culture, the parts of it that apply to every individual member-- the awareness we all share of the proper ways to greet a new person, when to eat with silverware and when to use our hands, etc. But beyond that, there is definitely a more individualized version of culture that is shared by smaller groups: families, groups of friends, employees of the same company, all of these share a culture that is a microcosm of society at large, but which applies only to them based on their shared experiences and environments.
Alright, enough rambling! See you guys in...about an hour. :)
Beep Beep Boop
Well, I'm not sure how well written my thoughts on "Culture is Ordinary" will be, seeing as my roomie has her friend over and I am becoming distracted. I do agree with Williams' statement. Culture is diverse, exquisite, intricately complex, but yet it is ordinary. It is what we are, who we are... we encounter it every day, every minute, every second. Culture is life. It is a part of our every day lives. Do you take time out of your busy schedule each day to ponder the influence culture has on your way of life? Probably not. This is because we view it as ordinary. But on the other hand, culture, like I stated earlier, is intricately complex. It is what makes each person and each family different from the other. Ok, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll be a better analyst in class, or for the next thing we read. Yeah, I hate when my roomie is home, LOL.
My thoughts on the article
I think one of the important things to notice in Raymond Williams' article is his goal in informing and teaching us about his thoughts on culture. He spends quite some time vividly describing the place where he grew up and lived, while making a point that it is much different than the academic community he is now also familiar with. I think this does a good job illustrating the fact that culture is ordinary in that it is found everywhere, with all people. Culture is inescapable, so you must take it into account when studying any person, place, or group of either. While I was reading Williams' descripition of where he grew up, it was easy for me to see that I could spend just as much time reflecting on the places I have lived, the relationships, changes, and progressions that I have witnessed and been a part of. He allows us to identify and then explains in detail what he means with the phrase "culture is ordinary". On page 6 he mentions that he insists on using the word "culture" to mean both a whole way of life and the arts and learning as well. He says these definitions go hand in hand, and I think he is correct when saying you cannot look at one without the other. When you see a community, you are looking at its culture and what that culture has produced as a changing, progressive, working body.
A thoughts on culture
Just a few quick things on our reading. Number one, I completely disagree with the term "culture is ordinary". Maybe ordinary in the sense that everyone has a sense of difference, of importance, of society, and thereby making it an ordinary track of thought, and of feeling throughout humanity. But to begin to say that culture in itself is ordinary is mistaken, for it is extraordinary.
The sense of an individual in terms to culture are extremely different. Just looking at the different posts of introductions, from my own, to all the others, shows a different background, different thought cycle, a different way of responding to what is commonly called "culture". Everyone does not read the word Nike and think the same thing...for all I know there, within our classroom, are 20 different thoughts on Nike. For example, another person might think a comfortabe, good looking, though over priced shoe, where I would see child labor.
Williams writting, though not misunderstood or cast aside in any way, is just another opinion of the matter. The way he words it though, that is where the difference in the opinion lies. He gives his background, through generations, leading up to the two near deathbed stories of his fater and grandfather, which only emphazises his point, his questioning. Williams connects both discovery and creative effort under the word culture, though I would dare to go farther and say Culture is what encompasses each person. It is what makes a man see a friend, and enemy, to begin to stereotype, and can, if not controlled and seen in a wider realm, destroy a persons ability to be open minded.
Thats all
Jeff
The sense of an individual in terms to culture are extremely different. Just looking at the different posts of introductions, from my own, to all the others, shows a different background, different thought cycle, a different way of responding to what is commonly called "culture". Everyone does not read the word Nike and think the same thing...for all I know there, within our classroom, are 20 different thoughts on Nike. For example, another person might think a comfortabe, good looking, though over priced shoe, where I would see child labor.
Williams writting, though not misunderstood or cast aside in any way, is just another opinion of the matter. The way he words it though, that is where the difference in the opinion lies. He gives his background, through generations, leading up to the two near deathbed stories of his fater and grandfather, which only emphazises his point, his questioning. Williams connects both discovery and creative effort under the word culture, though I would dare to go farther and say Culture is what encompasses each person. It is what makes a man see a friend, and enemy, to begin to stereotype, and can, if not controlled and seen in a wider realm, destroy a persons ability to be open minded.
Thats all
Jeff
Hey, here's my late introduction
Currently my laptop is getting fixed at the Resnet office, and I have been having a tough time finding able computers to use this weekend, so please excuse my tardiness in posting. My full name is Zane Zwillinger, which some people find interesting, I don't know why. My birthday is Dec. 23rd, so I am almost a christmas baby. I like music, some of my favorite artists are Radiohead, the Talking Heads, the Grateful Dead, Brian Eno, and many more. I also enjoy the outdoors, such as going swimming, hiking, running, and anything else that sounds fun. I'm on the swim team here at KU, and today is the first day of practice, hopefully it won't be too tough. Anything else, just ask. Hopefully it will be a fun semester!
Hey Everyone!
Hey Guys, sorry it took me so long to say hello! My name is Jenna and I am a Junior here at Kutztown. I am a Finance major and absolutely love to dance. I am a part of the dance program here along with being a part of the board of the University's Dance Team. I hope we all have a fun semester together!!
Thoughts on Culture
Hey guys – I’m currently in the car on the way home from Michigan, where I went with my family this weekend to visit my sister. (Four hours down, eight to go…) I just read “Culture is Ordinary”, and afterwards began to think about not only the essay, but also about my ability to write and analyze what I read. I’m very sad to say that I’ve never been able to do the latter very well. I do love to read, but I suppose I love the things where you don’t have to think much. As for writing, I’ve never felt that I wrote well. I never know how to start and finish… and this makes doing everything in between very difficult. I love grammar. I enjoy using it correctly and learning new things. I also enjoy words – where they come from, weird things about them, etc.
And so I’ve discovered my problem. I love the very basics of writing – words and grammar – I’m just horrible at putting them together to form my thoughts, or dissecting them in order to analyze others’ thoughts. So my purpose for taking this class was to improve upon these two things, and I hope to do just that.
About the essay… Before I began reading I tried to think of what my definition of culture would be. I decided it was the different traditions and ways of life that each group of people follows and practices. I also thought about the title of this essay, “Culture is Ordinary”, and realized that I did not agree with this statement at all. However, after reading the excerpt I understood Williams’ meaning. Every group of people, whether it is a family, a nationality, or a religion, has its own traditions, beliefs, and ways of life. Everyone has their own culture, making it ordinary. While this is true, it must also be said that while every culture exists for the same general purposes, each one specifically is not ordinary; it is the opposite, extraordinary.
And so I’ve discovered my problem. I love the very basics of writing – words and grammar – I’m just horrible at putting them together to form my thoughts, or dissecting them in order to analyze others’ thoughts. So my purpose for taking this class was to improve upon these two things, and I hope to do just that.
About the essay… Before I began reading I tried to think of what my definition of culture would be. I decided it was the different traditions and ways of life that each group of people follows and practices. I also thought about the title of this essay, “Culture is Ordinary”, and realized that I did not agree with this statement at all. However, after reading the excerpt I understood Williams’ meaning. Every group of people, whether it is a family, a nationality, or a religion, has its own traditions, beliefs, and ways of life. Everyone has their own culture, making it ordinary. While this is true, it must also be said that while every culture exists for the same general purposes, each one specifically is not ordinary; it is the opposite, extraordinary.
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